


Rain

by Pippyville



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Arcee needs a hug, Crying, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, Knockout and Arcee friendship, Post-Predacons Rising (Prime Movie), knockout needs a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-12
Updated: 2020-06-12
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:21:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24677584
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pippyville/pseuds/Pippyville
Summary: Arcee finds Knockout sitting alone in the rain and grows concerned for her new friend.
Relationships: Knockout/Breakdown
Comments: 3
Kudos: 73
Collections: Movies





	Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Hahha  
> Angst

Arcee sighed as she walked through the halls of the Nemesis. It was so large compared to both of their bases that she often got lost. She heard the gentle pitter patter of rain on the roof and smiled, considering going out to drive in it. 

Wait...no, she couldn't do that. This wasn’t earth, this was Cybertron. The rain was acid, she had forgotten. She shrugged to herself and kept walking.

Her comm pinged and she answered. “Yeah?”

“Someone’s outside in the rain.” Bumblebee’s voice. It was still slightly jarring to hear after all these years of his beeping and whirring. 

“In the-Are you sure? We’re all well aware that it’s acid, right?” She asked.

“Someone’s definitely out there, sitting just outside, I can see them on the camera’s, although it’s too dark to see who it is. Will you go and see what they’re up to? I don’t want anyone hurt, but I’m in the middle of an energon hunt on the maps.” 

“Of course ‘bee. Where are they?”

“Right outside door hanger sixteen.”

Arcee turned into her motorcycle mode after acknowledging Bumblebee and roared down the hall to where-she hoped-was hanger sixteen.

She only took one wrong turn, and she considered it a success. She transformed right outside of it and typed in the access codes, the door sliding open with a slight creaking noise. She spotted the bot sitting right outside, just like Bumblebee had said, just letting the acid pour over their frame.

She took a closer look and was surprised by the bright cherry-red paint that was drenched in the rain. “Knockout?” she called, confusion making her voice turn up a little.

Knockout didn’t seem to hear her, just staying sat down as his paint peeled. Okay, something was definitely wrong if he was letting his paint peel. She transformed again and drove out into the rain, the minor stinging nothing compared to the worry in her spark. Although Knockout used to be a Decepticon, she had grown rather fond of him the same way she was fond of Bulkhead. He was kind, if a little brash sometimes.

Once she was close she transformed again and tapped his shoulder. Knockout jumped and looked up. Arcee gently pulled his arm until he stood, and they both walked back to the ship, Knockout staying silent the whole time. 

Once they were inside, Arcee touched his shoulder, “Knockout? Are you okay? Why were you out there?”

“Sorry.” Knockout seemed to come to his senses and looked down at his paint. “Oh.”

“Oh? Is that all you’re going to say?” Arcee crossed her arms, “Why were you in the rain, Knockout? You know it hurts.”

“It’s nothing. I just got confused for a moment. Earth rain is much different, you know.” Knockout waved her off and started down the ship’s halls “I should go repaint this - I   
look like a mess.”

Arcee caught his servo, making him look back at her. “Knockout, that’s not normal. You look like you’ve been sitting out there for hours, what with all of the paint you're missing. Something’s up, don’t think you can fool me.”

“Really, Arcee. Nothing’s wrong.” Knockout tried to wave her off again. His voice was shaking, Arcee noticed. She frowned, but let him go. 

“Alright. Tell me if you need anything.” She told him. He smiled, mock-bowed and transformed, driving off to his quarters. Arcee frowned, further worry building in her tanks.

She found Knockout in the rain again only three days later. This time it was her that noticed, watching as Knockout went out again. She bit her lip plates and followed. 

Knockout just sat down again and tilted his helm to the sky. Arcee watched him try and catch the rain in his cupped servos and throw it, as if at some imaginary person standing beside him. She called his name and he looked up.

“Arcee I-”

“What are you doing out there!?” Arcee walked out again, feeling a sense of deja-vu as she knelt down by his side, ignoring the stinging on her paint.

“I’m just-”

“No excuses.” Arcee snapped, “You’re either up to something or something’s up with you and I’m not sure which one I prefer. Snap out of it and tell me what’s wrong, you’ve never had this little care for yourself before.”

“Arcee I’m fine.” Knockout stood, “It’s an easier way of stripping my paint, that’s all. Maybe I’ll go for a new color.”

“There’s less painful ways.” Arcee placed a servo on his arm, “Let’s get you dry, and we’ll talk”

Arcee finished toweling off in Knockout’s room, waiting for the mech to come out of his shell. He sat on his berth, wiping his arms off and glancing nervously at Arcee every few seconds. She sat next to him and started to wipe his back with her own towel. 

He froze, his optic’s widening and she backed off.

“You okay?”

“I...Sorry, you startled me.” Knockout whispered, looking down at his pedes. Arcee put a servo on his shoulder.

“Knockout. Please talk to me, whatever’s going on...I’m sure we can fix it or at least try and help.” 

“You can’t help.” Knockout seemed to shrug, before realizing what he said. 

“So something is wrong?” 

Knockout looked up, right into her optics, “Breakdown used to love the rain back on Earth, that’s all.”

Oh. Arcee wanted to slap herself. She hadn’t considered death to be making Knockout sad. Decepticons didn’t seem like the kind of people to be bothered by it. She mentaly cursed herself and said, “Breakdown...he was a friend of yours?”

“A little more than that.” Knockout sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to get out of this without answering Arcee’s questions.

“Amica?”

“Conjux Endura.” 

Arcee felt her spark drop into her motor, “I see...I’m...Sorry.”

“It’s war, people die.” Knockout dropped his head again, “Sorry, I shouldn’t be bothering you with this.”

“No. Knockout, I know what you’re going through.” Arcee grasped his servo, “We’ve all lost people, but just because it’s a war doesn’t make it any less painful. You shouldn’t shut people out. I did that for far too long before everyone finally got me to open up. It hurts, I know it does. But you don’t have to hurt alone.”

Knockout felt his optics become wet with tears and desperately tried to blink them away. They fell anyways, winding down his faceplates and dripping off of his chin. He scrubbed furiously at them until Arcee moved his servo away. She wiped a thumb under his optics and he felt his face heat up with embarrassment. 

“Sorry.” He said lamely, his voice cracking a little. 

She gave him a soft smile, “Don’t be. You’re allowed to cry. I didn’t know Breakdown that well, but from Bulkhead’s stories he didn’t seem the kind of guy to bottle it all up. I don’t think he’d want you to hide.”

Knockout felt more tears spill out of his optics and a sob forced its way out of his mouth. He squeezed his optics shut and felt small, strong arms wrap around his body as much as they could. Arcee held him as the dam broke and he started to properly cry, small sobs and hiccups leaving his mouth and hurting her spark.   
She held him until his sobs quietly started to stop, and he pushed away, not looking her in the optics as he wiped his face again. She sat there and let him regain his composure. “You good?”

Knockout let out a wet laugh, “I-I’m good.” he said, uncurling a bit and giving her a small smile. “Thank you.”

“Of course Knockout. One more question, if you’re up for it.”

“Go on.”

“Why were you sitting in the rain? I know you said Breakdown liked it, but...it’s acid here. Surely that hurt?”

Knockout seemed to stiffen, “I…” He sighed and told her truthfully, “The pain helps. It’s not enough to kill, but it’s...something.”

She pressed her lips together, nodding in understanding, “It grounds you.”

“You went through the same?”

“I still am, if I’m being honest.” She told him, “It’s better, but...it’s too much sometimes, isn’t it?”

Knockout nodded, glad someone understood. “You know, it’s odd that you care.”

“Is it?”

“I guess I’m not used to the whole Autobot thing yet.”

“Maybe.” 

They sat in silence for a moment until Arcee got a comm from Bulkhead asking her to help him out with a falling wall. She said yes, but turned to Knockout after. “Are you going to be okay if I leave?”

“I’ll be fine.” Knockout smiled, “thank you, Arcee.” 

“You’re welcome.” She got up and crossed the room, pausing at the door, “If you ever feel that feeling again...feel free to come by my quarters or find me wherever I am. I’ll listen.”

“And you too.” Knockout told her, “if-if you need it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Arcee waved to him as she opened the door and transformed, driving away. 

Knockout watched her leave before turning to his paint, “Ah well...Seems I’ll need to patch this up.”

He felt lighter somehow. He felt like Breakdown would be proud. And for the first time in a while, he was happy.

**Author's Note:**

> I kinda wish Knockout's story had been fleshed out a little more, but I'm happy he got to be a good guy even for a little bit in the movie. 
> 
> I'm still working on "Seeking" I promise, but updates will be slow, sorry about that.


End file.
